Road to K-POP: STAR24

2

Sunwoo found himself at home, while packing his belongings, as the staff had informed him that he needed to relocate to a hotel during the show. This arrangement would facilitate collective practice sessions when necessary.

Surprisingly, Sunwoo was quite enthusiastic about the change. It had been nearly a year since he had last slept anywhere other than his apartment, and the prospect of making new friends was an added bonus.

After packing his essentials, he called an Uber and headed straight to the designated hotel. His excitement got the better of him, and he didn't even bother to check the hotel's quality. The shock set in when he arrived at his destination.

Gazing at the building in front of him, he double-checked the name the staff had given him.

"Is this the right place...?" Sunwoo mumbled to himself, scrutinizing the run-down exterior. He had never anticipated being assigned to a one-star hotel.

Upon entering the building, he found himself in the dining room, where eleven boys sat around a large table, with a few dim lights scattered around. These were clearly the other contestants who had been accepted and were awaiting further instructions.

"Hey, Sunwoo! You made it through the auditions!" Sunwoo immediately recognized that voice—it was Jiho, the cheerful boy he had met during auditions. Though Sunwoo had been too nervous to chat earlier, now, given the less-than-ideal hotel situation, he hoped Jiho's positive energy might improve things.

"Hey, Jiho!" Sunwoo greeted him, approaching the table with a warm smile.

"So, what do you think of this place?" Jiho asked with a mischievous grin as Sunwoo took his seat.

Sunwoo tensed a bit, not wanting to criticize the hotel's quality on camera, especially considering the potential for negative editing.

"It's quite... unique," he replied with an awkward smile.

"Unique is one way to put it," Jiho replied with a touch of sarcasm.

Suddenly, the CEO entered the room, greeted the boys, and expressed his delight that so many contestants had made it through the auditions. He asked their opinions about the place, leading to a range of reactions—from those putting on a brave face to those expressing their disgust.

"Today, we begin recording for the show," he announced, pointing to the cameras in the room. "You'll head to the training camp set up in the party room on the top floor of this building."

"Party room?! Did they spend all the building funds on that?" Sunwoo whispered to Jiho in disbelief.

"That's not part of the hotel," Jiho whispered back, suppressing a giggle.

"That makes way more sense," Sunwoo replied, refocusing on the CEO's instructions.

"For now, you can settle into your rooms; you'll be divided into groups of four," the CEO explained, and the quartets were as follows:

Room one: Sunwoo, Jiho, Yejun, and Kai;
Room two: Minjoon, Jihoon, Haru, and Sujin;
Room three: Yuri, Taeyang, Woojin, and Leo.

With everything organized, the boys dispersed to their rooms. Some rushed, while others took their time. Sunwoo was still packing, so he ended up being the last to reach his room. Upon entering, he heard screams coming from inside.

"Are they okay?" Sunwoo wondered as he cautiously opened the door, only to be shocked by what he found.

One of the boys had a screwdriver in hand, another was clutching Jiho's head as if it were the end of the world, while Jiho, somehow, had his head stuck in a chair.

Upon noticing Sunwoo's presence, they froze, as if they had gazed into Medusa's eyes.

"So, um... we can explain," Kai stammered.

"Yeah, that would be helpful," Sunwoo replied, still taken aback by the bizarre situation.

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"Let me get this straight... Jiho tried to change the lightbulb in the room using a chair, and he fell and got his head stuck in it?" Sunwoo asked, realizing that the reality was even stranger than he had initially thought.

"Yep, that's pretty much it," Jiho said, with the chair still stuck around his neck.

"Did you guys at least try turning your head sideways?" Sunwoo suggested, expecting a 'yes' in response, but he figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

A stunned silence hung in the room, all eyes fixed on Jiho. He quickly turned his head and freed himself from the chair.

"You guys seriously didn't think of that?" Sunwoo exclaimed in a disappointed tone while pinching the bridge of his nose. Chaos erupted in the room after that.

Once the chair ordeal was over, they all left the room and headed for the elevator, on their way to the party room. They had to pass through security, as the entire training camp was situated within the hotel building, and not everyone was allowed entry.

The set was surprisingly extensive, designed to resemble a dance studio and seemingly disconnected from the hotel's shabby appearance. Sunwoo couldn't help but wonder why a big company like Pulsar Pop would spend so much on sets and music videos but skimp on basic accommodations for its idols and trainees.

After taking their designated seats, CEO Kyungsoo sat at his desk, ready for the recording. He personally explained the show's format to the contestants. They would begin with individual evaluations, with each of them choosing songs to showcase their diverse talents.

As the contestants performed, they received praise for their growth and versatility in different styles. Sunwoo grew even more nervous as he witnessed the talents of the others, particularly Minjoon, who was undoubtedly the competition's best dancer.

"Sunwoo, it's your turn," the CEO announced, pulling him out of his thoughts. Sunwoo quickly rose and took center stage in front of the CEO's desk.

He signaled the staff that he was ready, and as the music started, he began his performance. Although his movements lacked precision, his stage presence elevated the performance. He danced with the confidence of a seasoned professional, and his facial expressions matched the song's lyrics, conveying deep emotion.

When he finished, he received substantial criticism, primarily for his dancing skills. However, his stage presence was acknowledged, and the CEO even noted his improvement in dancing, given the short time between the auditions and the individual evaluations.

Following the feedback, Sunwoo took a short break to catch his breath and have a drink of water. He then commenced his singing performance, once again combining impressive stage presence with strong vocal abilities. It was evident that he could bring a unique element to the team if he were to debut.

Upon completing his performance, Sunwoo received praise for his singing and stage presence, leaving him with a sense of optimism despite his dancing critique.

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